We are going to open a borrowing library with a large selection of books and old hats in the front room of the Forest Café! The library will be well looked after and will be staffed by a library volunteer who will be responsible for tidying the room, taking care of the library books (and hats!) and signing the books out to borrowers! The library volunteers will come from a library collective which will meet regularly to oversee the running of the library and organise library events and workshops.

The aim of the library will be to create a welcoming, comfortable and inviting space for reading, workshops and relaxing. When the library is open, the books and hats will be displayed in the library bookshelves, on book stands and on wonderful multi-level hat stands! The library will be open only for set times (which will be advertised in obvious places and will be regular to make the library usable and organised). When the library is closed the bookshelves will be locked in order to ensure the books are safe. The room will still retain its inviting atmosphere! The front of the locked bookshelves will be decorated with pictures which will be in keeping with the rest of the room’s theme.

The walls will be decorated with pictures in gold guilded frames, and library announcements (such as opening times) will also be displayed in frames to help reduce the cluttered look of the room.

Below is a list of action points and modifications we plan to make to the front room…• Move the computer further towards the window• Rearrange the normal Forest library so that one is backed against the ramp thus creating a library rugged seating area. Place a plant/lamp (just general objects so that nobody uses it to put their drinks down) on top of the shelf• Hang a few pieces of Olde Worlde paraphernalia or put them in frames• Add more lamps…wall mounted and on tables and standing on floor• Fix the animation bicycle wheel thing• Hang old pictures in gold frames around the room• Change window furniture to have two small and comfortable chairs and a small table with a lamp• Maintain plant life• Revamping tables• Tidying the workshops poster and the Forest information area (with a sign saying “What is the Forest?” to make the purpose of the information clear. Organise poster area.• Clean floor and take away the old tape

oldhatbooks.wordpress.com

A GATHERING AND SYMPOSIUM CELEBRATING RADICAL DIY CULTURE & CREATIVE LIVING!EDINBURGH-WIDE, FEBRUARY 5-8th 2009! DIYEDINBURGH@RISEUP.NETWOULD YOU LIKE TO ORGANISE AN EVENT?

the forest will be open at 8 till 12 on monday for cleaning , so it may be an idea to remove the tape from floor then and possibility from the whole cafe . this i guess is stage one for the prep for sanding and varnishing the floors .

also the at the top of window in the red room is a mess and needs fixing , the curtain that hides the beams is hanging down .

i know it may be controversial , but maybe the wheel sculpture can go some where else . i feel it blocks too much light getting into the room . the windows when clear and clean are fantastic , just look at the gallery's

love the idea, sounds great. also wheel sculpture definately blocks light coming in. Sure we can move it elsewhere.It should also be compulsory to where a smoking jacket and slippers whilst in the room.

If you are putting yet more bookshelves in and taking some seating away, I'm concerned about where people who want to chat will go when there's a quiet event on in the cafe (e.g a film) as we often ask people who want to make noise to move to the front room.

For things that will have to be done regularly to keep the front room/library looking nice, e.g. maintaining plant life, there is a cleaning crew starting up every Monday at 8, maybe we can do some of it. I suppose you have your library volunteer as well.

Can't wait to see it happen!

(Also your wordpress theme is perfect!)

If the library can get a little bit of funding it could become a member of AK Press, for example, then it would get a regular delivery of lots of nice books, and I'm sure there are other similar things in Edinburgh. You could get maybe a core crew of library enthusiasts to pay a monthly subscription to the library to fund it, or ask the forest for a bit of a budget.

I've had it with you. If I had an image of a laser gun I would absolutely position it right here in my hand...Ha! I have a real laser absolutely positioned in my hand!

In terms of seating, we won't be removing that much and we will be trying to add more, for reading and generally hanging out. Also, something that wasn't mentioned in our previous post (the post was written collectively with the collective), we will sort out a furniture plan with specific furniture and positions for the library so everything will be kept track of and can be returned to the way it should be...we all know how furniture likes to walk around the Forest...

Also, we will see about funding for things from the Forest but we would like to do as much as we can on our own so as not to increase the drain on the Forest's finances. But maybe in different times we could think about funding. The AK press friend thing is cool and if anyone wouldl like to donate or collectivise their books, that will always be possible!

It would be great to fix the zeotrope and we will try hard to make it more obvious what it is and make it feel more loved, but yes, it does block out quite a bit of light.

We will fix the ceiling material and, yes, it should be compulsory to wear slippers and smoking jackets.

That is all. Please keep feeding back to help us come up with new ideas.

Joey and the Old Hat Collective

A GATHERING AND SYMPOSIUM CELEBRATING RADICAL DIY CULTURE & CREATIVE LIVING!EDINBURGH-WIDE, FEBRUARY 5-8th 2009! DIYEDINBURGH@RISEUP.NETWOULD YOU LIKE TO ORGANISE AN EVENT?

After talking briefly with Tove yesterday, I thought it was best that I write a short little update here to let everyone know about the progress...or lack of...with the setting up of the Old Hat Books radical library in the front room of the Forest.

Unfortunately, our flush of inspiration and energy came at slightly the wrong time for the library collective as, soon after we made the initial push to sort out our plans and take action, our other commitments have taken us away from the Forest or Edinburgh as a whole. We have little time, energy or opportunity right now to see our plans through, but as soon as we can (for me, personally, after the 12th of May) we will be working hard to realise our dream of the radical library.

We have another fundraising event planned...a wonderful evening of anarcho-folk and revelry at the Bowery on the 24th May. The flier will be below.

After this we should be able to buy some more books and materials to decorate the library and then an opening party will be announced. There will then be opportunity to explore what the library is about and maybe join our collective.

I apologise on behalf of the group for promising the sorting out of the room and then failing to complete it and leaving our bookcase and paraphernalia around in the Forest. We will have it sorted soon!

Love and wordy-rage,

Joey and the Old Hat Books collective. xxx

A GATHERING AND SYMPOSIUM CELEBRATING RADICAL DIY CULTURE & CREATIVE LIVING!EDINBURGH-WIDE, FEBRUARY 5-8th 2009! DIYEDINBURGH@RISEUP.NETWOULD YOU LIKE TO ORGANISE AN EVENT?